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Stuff.co.nz has reported (15/01/2016) on a solar passive house in Christchurch that does not require heating or cooling.

The new home built by the Marriots in Fendalton is very energy efficient due to abundant insulation, triple glazed windows and other technologies that create an airtight building.

Regardless of outside temperatures, the house remains at a comfortable 23 degrees. The Marriots do not even own a heat pump or airconditioning.

Mr Marriot says that his timber walls have an R-value of 7.3 which is more than three times the building code requires. Mrs Marriot says that it is like the house has a duvet around it.

The house is almost completely airtight so no heat gets out and little heat gets in. A heat exchanger senses temperature changes inside the house and compensates by adding small amounts of cooling or warming.

The Marriots, both engineers, would like to see more of this sort of housing in Christchurch and New Zealand. Social housing in Europe is built to this standard and it could be done in New Zealand.